


A Tentative Reunion

by lunarosewood23



Series: No Place Like Home [4]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: From Edmont's perspective, Gen, Prompt 29 of FFXIVWrite2020, The LbR telling of the first night in Ishgard, Tumblr: FFXIVwrite2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-18
Updated: 2021-01-18
Packaged: 2021-03-16 06:10:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28826487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lunarosewood23/pseuds/lunarosewood23
Summary: Set in 3.0 of LbR: Edmont meets the three Warriors of Light and the Scions, or what remains of them. Paraphrases some dialogue from “Thoughts Unspoken” and thanks to @inkblood-mistrieu on tumblr for both letting me play in her universe as well as her input and listening to me ramble about this bc Edmont at that point in the story is much harder to write than the sweet old man I write about in the far future. Plus, I just love Edmont. Good dad, he tries his best.
Relationships: Haurchefant Greystone/Warrior of Light
Series: No Place Like Home [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1864051
Kudos: 4





	A Tentative Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> Edmont was so difficult to write here but I feel like I pulled it off well enough. Thanks to @jimmy_rustled_bird (inkblood-mistrieu on tumblr) for her help and for letting me play in her universe!!

_“My lord please at least give it more thought. These three women are bright, shining paragons of virtue, whose very presence drove others to be better than themselves. These three women, Serella, Mingxia, and Raven, all three of them are deeply cherished friends, but more than that they are heroes, lies and slander be damned. And as their friend, ‘tis only right that I help them.”_

Edmont sighed as he remembered Haurchefant’s words. The six of them would be coming in at night, and he would be prepared to receive them.

He didn’t bother to ask Artoriel and Emmanellain to stay awake for them, both of them had their tasks and they would both be in and exhausted.

“My lord.” A steward spoke up as he entered the foyer.

“Yes? What is it?” Edmont asked.

“Lord Haurchefant has asked me to make you aware that one of the Warriors of Light will be slightly late in arrival, her mother had seen them come in, and none of them dared disturb them.” The steward explained, and Edmont saw the way the steward seemed to smile just slightly at the memory.

He is quiet for a moment, processing it and nodding in understanding. “I see. Do ensure she is escorted in when she arrives.”

“Yes my lord.”

The steward leaves the foyer and Edmont feels an old paternal instinct of his kick in. Haurchefant told him about her in particular, the Ishgardian woman who trained with his knights and learned her homeland’s way of the sword and shield. She had grown up in the lower reaches of the city with her mother, a cook for the Temple Knights.

He couldn’t blame the woman or her mother, if he were in her shoes and hadn’t seen any of his boys in the amount of time that she had been away from the city, he would wish to spend as much time as he could with his children.

He looked up as the door to the foyer opened, and in walked a total of five people, a scarred Elezen woman in armor, a dragoon leading a blind hyur mage, a Lalafell and a younger Elezen boy that looked to be eighteen summers.

All of them looked to be exhausted, no doubt from the journey. The armored Elezen woman seemed to be wary, eyeing any means of escape if things soured, and based on what he had been told from his son, there was a reason. She seemed to smile and ruffle the young hyur’s hair when she walked in, and he took note of how wary she seemed to be as well, despite her calm demeanour.

_The both of you have seen far too much, I pray you will find some form of peace and safety while within these walls…_

The dragoon seemed aloof, and Edmont barely caught the slight movements of his head as he looked, and years of experience taught him that look of guardedness, ready to act to protect his blind partner and the rest of them. He also caught the angered scowl marring his face, or what he could see of it under his drachen helm.

_Another wary and rather angered boy, I know you are not of our own, but what has caused you such anger?_

He doesn’t have a chance to properly read the other two before the door opens again, and in walks the last of his guests. A woman with long purple hair and eyes, a weary yet relieved face with the remains of tears in her eyes.

She was also holding his son’s hand, and Edmont took note of how he did not let go upon entering the room.

She gave a formal bow. “F-forgive me for my lateness. I-” She stammered out.

“We just arrived ourselves Raven-neechan! That was your mom right? You said you hadn’t seen her in seven years, so it’s understandable.” The hyur piped up, and he couldn’t help but smile to himself. He heard that challenge, she was just as protective of the group as the rest.

“‘Tis a pleasure to meet you. I am Count Edmont de Fortemps, I was about to explain to your friends the details of your arrangement.” He nods to an elderly steward who hands them a sheet of parchment stating that she and her friends were wards of House Fortemps.

The armored Elezen, who he then remembered her name to be Serella, nods with a smile. “Thank you sir. For bringing us under your roof and your protection. We will do our upmost to not cause trouble to your House and your family.”

Edmont gave a smile as all of them let out varying degrees of yawns, they were all tired from the trek into the city and he took note of the emotional drain that Raven seemed to have been dealt. “You all deserve some rest after the journey you have made here. I will have someone show you to your rooms. Haurchefant, might I have a word with you?”

He watched as the Hyur seemed to be looking around inquisitively as though she could see before looking towards his son, who squeezed Raven’s hand twice before letting her go, albeit a bit hesitant.

Serella seemed to take Raven’s hand and lead her away, leaving just him and Haurchefant in the foyer. “Yes my lord?”

An awkward silence, and he could see how guarded and closed off his son became the moment the others left, and he felt his heart hurt for his son, he knew he had failed in his role as a parent, and ever since his wife passed away he wanted to try to mend the bridge between the two of them.

“They are quite a colourful group,” Edmont tried- but even to his ears the levity of his words felt forced. “They certainly appear to be as capable as you described.”

“Quite so.” Was his reply, and the forced politeness made him internally cringe.

More silence, and he wondered if he could get him to open up just a touch by him asking about his friends.

About Raven, the woman he’s so obviously in love with.

“The one you walked in with, that’s her isn’t it?”

A slight smile that went away almost as quickly as it appeared. “One of the three heroes, the one who trained with my men? Yes. She’s a skilled knight who also manages to blend her black magic with her bladework.” He explained, still trying to keep professional.

 _Not what I had meant, but ‘tis a start._ He reasoned.

“If there is naught else you need of me my lord, I shall take my leave. Good night.” Haurchefant states, and turns to leave.

“Just one more thing.” Edmont quickly says.

“Yes?” He asks, curt but earnest.

A deep breath and a nod. “I approve of them. Of her. I am thankful that you have found such faithful friends that you can trust and call upon should you need aid. And I am especially grateful you have found someone who can make you happy.” A pause. “You are happy with her, are you not?”

Haurchefant blinks, stunned momentarily, and Edmont wonders if he overstepped, if his fumbling has made the rope holding the bridge together slip entirely from his grasp.

He watches a slow but genuine smile stretch across his face, and as though he were slightly afraid of his answer, he nods once. “Yes. Yes I am happy.”

In a quieter tone he adds “Happier than I remember being in a long time…”

 _Oh my son…_ Edmont though, and every paternal instinct of his was screaming to reach out and hug his son, but he fought it, closed off as his son was, it was bound to overstep, and he didn’t wish to turn back what progress he had made in this.

A smile crossed the old man’s face. “I’m glad.”

Silence again. “Was there aught else you needed? ‘Tis late, and I have no doubt you need the rest as well as our guests.” Haurchefant asked, his face schooled back to neutral.

Edmont shook his head. “No my son. That was all.”

Haurchefant nods and leaves, leaving Edmont alone in the foyer, his heart broken as he thinks how his boy had suffered, and inadvertently by his own hands

**Author's Note:**

> This was still one of my favorite stories from FFXIVWrite2020, I hope you all enjoyed it too!!


End file.
